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This invention relates to processing system function selection by means of a menu displayed by the processing system. More particularly, the invention concerns the presentation and selection of television set functions by means of a rotatable function menu that is displayed on the screen of the television set and rotated thereon to present functions for user selection.
Modernly, the television set (TV) combines a display system with a sophisticated on-board processor that supports manifold functionality made accessible to a user by provision of on-screen, remote-control programming. Typically, a graphical user interface driven by user commands entered by way of a remote control device provides a display that either temporarily replaces or is integrated with TV program video. The display presents either alphanumeric or icon representations of TV functions (xe2x80x9cfunction representationsxe2x80x9d). Thus the graphical user interface permits the user to interactively view and select TV functions.
Frequently, the graphical user interface for a TV is menu-driven, providing the display and supporting the selection of TV functions by means of menus. Such menus usually are laid out in flat, two-dimensional panels that provide xe2x80x9cdepthxe2x80x9d by means of a hierarchical or tree-based sequence of menu panels. Pull-down menus are often used. This mode of presentation and selection is limited, requiring the user to view and select functions by navigation through successions of two-dimensional matrices. Other modes of presentation and selection are even more primitive.
Manifestly, there is a need for greater flexibility in presenting and supporting the selection of functions in a TV or, more broadly, in any multi-functional processor system in which function display and selection are provided by means of a menu-driven graphical user interface.
This invention satisfies the need by providing virtual xe2x80x9cdepthxe2x80x9d in the presentation and manipulation of a function menu. The function menu in the invention includes a (virtually) three-dimensional graphics object that rotates in virtual space in response to user commands. A surface of the object is divided into a sequence of areas. Each area of the three dimensional, rotatable graphics object is assigned a function, with the assigned function being represented by graphical means in the area. The graphical representation may be alphanumeric, iconic, or both. The result is a rotatable function menu.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotatable function menu is substantially ring- or wheel-shaped, although other rotatable shapes are contemplated. A plurality of facets are arrayed circumferentially along an outer surface of the menu. The menu is rotated in response to user commands until the facet containing a desired function arrives at a selection location. The function of the facet in the selection location is referred to as the selected function. Further user commands may cause the display of one or more submenus for the selected function, each submenu containing a plurality of functions that are related to the selected function.
Manifestly, the invention organizes and presents functions in a novel way by provision of a function menu that is (virtually) rotatable in three dimensional space. The rotatable function menu adds flexibility, variety and richness to the visual presentation and selection of functions in the menu-driven graphical user interface of a multi-function system.
An object of the invention is to provide a function menu that is virtually rotatable in three-dimensional space. A further object is to provide for display and selection of functions in a multi-function system by means of a function menu that is virtually rotatable in three-dimensional space.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a function menu in the form of a ring- or wheel-shaped graphics object that can be virtually rotated in three-dimensional space.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident when the following description is read with reference to the below-described drawings.